S&W Model 15 6" target ????

[MtGun44]

Has anyone ever seen a S&W Model 15 with a 6" bbl and the target front
sight - not the ramp? I have one, and bought it thinking it was a Model 14,
which is expected to have a 6" target bbl. I always thought the M15 was the
4" Combat Masterpiece in .38 Spl as opposed to the K-38 replacement M14 and
the M19 Combat Masterpiece in .357 Mag.

Is this unusual or what?

Bill

[Le Loup Solitaire]

I've never seen an M15 target before. I always thought, as you said, that the M15is with the 4" barrel, known as the combat masterpiece. It is a beautiful pistol. I have 2 of the M 14's, a 6" and an 8-3/8" barrel. This model, if I can remember correctly, was to replace the K-38 designation. They're not exactly shabby either as the quality of the work, fit and finish are top shelf. And they can with well prepared 38 loadings really shoot good scores. I would say that your M 15 is indeed an unusual find. It may have been a special order/custom job. It probably is a very good performer for competition work. Congrats on a nice weapon. LLS

[9.3X62AL]

The "Book" says that "Combat Masterpiece"/Model 15 S&Ws should be 38 Special and have 2" or 4" barrels, while the "Masterpiece" target revolvers (Model 14 in 38 Special, Model 16 in 32 SWL, Model 17 in 22 LR) should have 6" or 8-3/8" barrels. What model designation is stamped on your revolver's barrel? Perhaps you have a Model 15 frame onto which a 6" targer Masterpiece barrel was installed in the aftermarket. BUT--never say "never", never say "always". I would get the Letter from S&W and learn what form your revolver started life as. You could possibly have a rare factory variant. At minimum, you have a GREAT, ACCURATE wheelgun.

[TDC]

What 9.3X62AL said....

[MtGun44]

Thanks guys, you verify what I thought was right. The frame is stamped 15-5,
but it looks like my 14-4, not my M15 4" with the ramped front sight.

I assume somebody just swapped barrels at some point. I suppose I could ask
S&W, but don't they charge a pretty good chunk of change for that info?

Oh, and Al - you are absolutely right. The M14 is a fantastic shooter. I haven't
shot this "M15 six inch" much yet so can't really verify the accy of this one. May
be off if the bbl has been swapped.

Bill

[machinisttx]

A factory letter from Roy Jinks is now $50. The price went up from $30 a few months ago.

[MtGun44]

Thanks for that info. I might have sprung for $30, not a chance for $50.

Bill

[exile]

I just checked out a book on the history of S & W from the beginning until 1945. Roy Jinks looks awfully young. Someday those letters are going to be worth a lot, in sentimental value as well as money. How often do you get a chance to get a really worthy piece of history for $ 50.00? Just my opinion. Unfortunately both my Smiths are new enough to have a lock, but no letter. Oh well.

exile

[HeavyMetal]

I'd shoot this some before passing judgement.

In my experience barrels are swapped because accuracy is poor with the original barrel not to make a good shooting gun worse.

It could also be a "special" ordered by a police dept for general issue. I've seen three Combat Masterpieces and they all had the skinny triggers and hammers the model 14's have the target stuff. A smart cop might have wanted the Combat trigger / hammer on a 6 inch gun for uniform duty issue and ordered a bunch for department issue. These things used to happen.

I'd shoot it and maybe pop for the S&W letter if the serial number range shows it t be a pre 1973 pistol. Thats about the time most departments figured out auto pistols actually existed and special order revolver stuff stopped happening.

[MtGun44]

OK, I have a 14-4 6" Patridge front sight and a 15-4 4" ramped front sight. The 14 has
a ribbed or striated trigger, the 15 has a smooth trigger. Both have a 'semi target' hammer
with a checkered hammer spur, but I have seen wider checkered spurs (I think) that must
have been a real target hammer. I have an old Victory model that has the early style hammer
spur which is the same width as the hammer and rounded and very, very lightly stamped sort
of fake checkering. These all have a spur wider than the hammer itself.

However, the 15-5 6" has the striated trigger (ribbed?) and exactly the same hammer as
the other two. So - 6" bbl, 'target' trigger and 'semi target' hammer. The three guns look
a lot alike, you'd have real trouble telling the 14-4 6" target from the 15-5 6" target.

Bill

[TDC]

I might add here that there are so many variations of many models that it is impossible to say "never" or "always" when determining the features of any S&W handgun.

The sheer number of models produced through the years complicates identities enough. Then when we add special order configurations and specialty order requests by distributors and large police departments it's almost impossible.

A letter from Roy Jinks (the 4+ decades long company Historian at S&W) will provide a birth date of the revolver and a list of any options it may have left the factory with. It will also include to what distributor, PD, S&W Jobber or foreign entity the pistol was delivered to.

Attached is a copy of a typical Jinks letter I requested for a different reason in 1977. A letter will have a positive impact on the value of any older S&W handgun, IMHO....

Hope this helps...

Terry

[sagamore-one]

You never know what you'll find when you start shooting Smith circle cyclers.I shot pin matches for a while with an 8 3/8 barreled model 19. I just had my local smith fit a spare barrel from a model 14 to my model 19 and I was off to the races. The 14 barrel came with the old angle comp from Smith and ended up almost 10 inches long.

[StrawHat]

Has anyone ever seen a S&W Model 15 with a 6" bbl and the target front
sight - not the ramp? I have one, and bought it thinking it was a Model 14,
which is expected to have a 6" target bbl. I always thought the M15 was the
4" Combat Masterpiece in .38 Spl as opposed to the K-38 replacement M14 and
the M19 Combat Masterpiece in .357 Mag.

Is this unusual or what?

Bill

Something like this?

http://www.smithandwessonforums.com/...del+15+Georgia